Tuft yarn frame for looms



Jan. 21, 1930. c. c. ALVORD" 3 TUFT YARN FRAME FOR LOOKS Original Filad Juiy 2s. 192s INVENTOR handlings.

Patented Jan. 21, 1930 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES C. ALVORD, OI WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS- TUFT YARN FRAME FOR LOOMS Original application filed July 28, 1926, Serial No. 124,388.

Divided and this application filed November 14, 1927. Serial No. 233,084.

This invention relates to tuft yarn frames such as are used in weaving Axminster carpets, or other pile fabrics, by means of the loom known commercially as the Smith loom in which the tuft frames are successively removed from the conveyor chains and inserted into the warps during the pile forming operation in the well known manner. The present application is a division of my original application filed on July 23, 1926, and covers the subject matter illustrated by Figs. 5, 6, 8 and 9 in that application.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved tuft frame which can be threaded rapidly with pile yarn without being removed from the loom and transported to a threading machine, thus eliminating much of the chance of damage to such a relatively delicate article.

Another object of my invention is to provide a tuft frame which can be easily threaded without the aid of a draw hook; in other words a hand-threading tuft frame.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a tuft frame of such a unique character that without undue stoppage of the loom, a manufacturer need purchase and employ no more than the exact number of frames required for the pattern of fabrics he desires to weave.

I obtain the hand-threading result by providing a free and relatively narrow entrance into the tube, through which the respective tuft yarns can be inserted by hand, so they will enter into the normal weaving passages and be retained there.

The present method of threading makes it necessary to remove them from the loom and transfer them by truck to a threading machine which often, of necessity, is located a considerable distance away. It is obvious that such a method is costly for it is necessary to have a considerable surplus of tuft frames on hand, some all drawn in and ready to be inserted in a loom, while others are in process, so that the looms need not be idle. Another serious defect is that owing to the delicate structure of the frames there is grave danger of damage due to the many Another disadvantage is that and then have to be broken in all over again. By the use of my invention one set of tested frames may stay with one loom.

lVhile the loom is in operation a fair proportion of the weavers time is spent in drawing broken ends into the tuft frames. If a number of ends happen to be out on one frame the weaver has insuflicient time to draw them all in with a draw hook while the loom is running. Rather than stop the loom and lose production he is forced to leave out some of the ends, thus making bad spots in the carpet. The quality of the carpet is therefore due largely to the rapidity with which the weaver can draw in broken ends.

It is much easier and quicker to draw in'sin- With the above and other objects in view a my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the intake end of one of my tubes.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective of the side of the tube clearly illustrating the threading entrance. 7

Figs. 3 and 4 show two steps in the threading operation.

In the practice of this invention, according to one good form illustrated by the drawings, I employ the usual suspension dogs I mounted on a substantially rigid carrier bar 2 to which is attached by solder or otherwise the longitudinally extending angle strip 3. This strip has soldered to it the tubes 4 in the conventional manner. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 it will be seen that each tube has a diagonal slot 5 in one side wall. At the intake end of this slot the side wall is extended above the main body of the tube as shown at 6, while at the outlet end of the tube the passage is constricted at 7 so that once a yarn has snapped into the tube it will be nearly impossible for it to work its way out again.

\Vhile it is obvious that individual yarn strands may be threaded into my tubes more quickly than by inserting a draw hook and pulling the yarn through as in the old style tubes, yet the great advantage lies in simultaneously threading the entire frame. As shown in Fig. 3 the spool 8 is inserted in the frame and the well known comb clamp 9, securing and spacing the free ends of the tuft yarns 10, is pulled down by the operative to a point just below the points of the projections 6. The comb clamp is then moved toward the tubes so as to bring it practically in contact therewith and when in this position the projections 6 severally enter between and protrude through and beyond the yarn strands ata point directly above the comb clamp where the yarns are accurately guided by the teeth thereof. This is the logical place for causing the projections to enter between the yarn strands preparatory to guiding them accurately into the tubes of the frame. There is always a possibility that one or more strands may not be in perfect parallelism with their neighbors due to cross-overs and the closer the operative can press the comb clamp up under the projections the more accurate will be the threading because, notwithstanding several cross-overs, the yarn is accurately guided at a point immediately above the comb clamp. It is evident that this feature is a new and valuable contribution in the art of simultaneous threading of tuft frames.

From this point the comb clamp is moved down parallel with the tubes to a point as shown in Fig. 3. The projections 6 then guide the yarns into the threading slots 5 as the comb clamp 10 is pushed backwards or to the right and slightly longitudinally in order that the strands may assume the position shown in Fig. 4. From this point the comb clamp is first moved longitudinally in the opposite direction and then brought front or to the left, thus causing the yarns to snap into the tubes through the constricted openings 7. The comb clamp is now pulled off and the spool turned back until the free ends of the yarns project the proper amount below the ends of the tubes. I have given a substantially continuous angle to the threading slot so that by a natural motion of the comb clamp each strand of pile yarn is brought into position parallel with the threading entrance and, being guided by the projection 6 it leads into the tube due to the slight tension imparted by means of a pull on the comb clamp.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. In a tuft frame having a yarn spool mounted thereon, a series of broadside, handthreading tubular members for guiding tuft yarn strands, a series of yarn guide projections extending beyond the main bodies of the tubular members and beyond the paths of the yarns extending from the front of the spool to the lower front exterior of the tubular members, with means for retaining yarn strands in spaced relation whereby said means may be passed adjacent said projections so the strands of yarn at a point immediately above said means may enter between said projections prior to entering said tubular members.

2. The combination with means for retaining yarn ends in spaced relation of a spool SUPPOItlIlg tuft frame equipped with broadside hand-threading, tubular yarn guide members severally provided with yarn dividing projections so disposed that the tuft yarn when drawn in a straight line from the front of the spool toward the tubular members will enter between said projections and be separated thereby.

3. A tuft frame comprising a spool support, yarn guiding means presenting a series of tube-like yarn guiding passages extending transversely to the spool axis and having broadside threading entrances so positioned that the yarns leading from the front of the spool, when swung toward the passages, may enter the passages broadside through the entrances, and a series of projections on the yarn guiding means respectively adjacent, and 0X tending forward of, the entrances and acting to engage the yarns as they are swung from the front of the spool toward, and before they reach, the entrances and to direct them into the entrances.

4. A tuft frame comprising the construction defined in claim 3, in which the said projections are located at the upper ends of the yarn guiding passages.

5. A tuft frame comprising the construction defined in claim 3 in which the broadside threading entrances are open throughout their length and are of less width than the yarn guiding passages.

In witness whereof I have subscribed the above specification.

CHARLES C. ALVORD. 

